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Last update - 23:09 02/02/2009
Barak calls for Palestinian tunnel linking Gaza with West Bank
By Haaretz Service and Reuters
Tags: Israel News, Tzipi Livni 

Click here for more on Hamas

Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Monday proposed the construction of a 48-kilometer long tunnel that would connect the northern Gaza Strip with the southern West Bank, thus enabling freedom of movement between the two disjointed Palestinian territories.

While stumping on the campaign trail before students at Ben-Gurion University in Be'er Sheva, Barak said it was possible to dig the tunnel, which would remain under Israeli sovereignty while the Palestinians would maintain authority over the corridor's traffic. The defense minister and Labor Party chairman said the project would cost between $2-3 billion, "a reasonable sum."
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Barak devoted a significant portion of his statements to politics, criticizing his main rival in the upcoming parliamentary election Kadima. "What new politics is Kadima bringing us?" Barak said. "Kadima was unable to remake itself and so it will be unable to remake the entire country. The question is not who speaks more eloquently but who is capable of getting things done."

Barak also slammed Vice Premier Haim Ramon, "who was convicted in court of embarassing crimes and even asked during a cabinet meeting to establish a commission of inquiry to probe his investigators all the while they are investigating the prime minister."

Earlier, Barak laid into rival prime ministerial hopefuls Tzipi Livni and Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday over years of inaction in the face of Gaza rocket fire.

"All of these critics were in decision-making positions and Hamas never received such a blow as this. After eight years of [rocket] fire from the Strip, I arrived and gave the IDF an order to batter Hamas, with deeds and not words," said Barak, referring to Israel's recent offensive against Hamas in Gaza.

Livni, the foreign minister and Kadima party chairwoman, has been a senior cabinet member for much of the period mentioned by Barak. Netanyahu, the Likud chairman and current opposition leader, also held senior a senior position under former prime minister Ariel Sharon during the years of cross-border attacks.

Barak continued: "It's understood that we're in a period of elections, and every morning at the start of the cabinet meeting ministers wander around in front of the media, lashing out, rejoicing and announcing - [and] Hamas hears this as well."

His comments clashed with statements on Sunday by Livni who said that, if necessary, Israel would mount a new offensive in the Gaza Strip to choke off cross-border rocket fire.

"Those who need to plan the operations are the best people in the country, who understand better than a large number of the ministers - the members of the defense establishment and the IDF General Staff," the defense minister added.


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      1.   better if a leader would finish the job 12:03  |  bb 02/02/09
      2.   how about balloons? 18:21  |  Paul Freedman 02/02/09
      3.   Barak calls for Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to be bombed 18:22  |  Steven 02/02/09
      4.   We will definitely have to go to war, A Tunnel? Are you crazy?? 18:23  |  Jordan 02/02/09
      5.   Barak is crazy! Pals have an honor too! 18:26  |  fritz t. 02/02/09
      6.   bb Re Barak 18:33  |  Brad 02/02/09
      7.   No aid to Gaza as long as hamas in control 18:33  |  Nechama 02/02/09
      8.   What a foolish idea! 18:39  |  Brod 02/02/09
      9.   Transport link between West bank and Gaza 18:45  |  John Merritt 02/02/09
      10.   It should contain a light-rail system or suchlike 18:46  |  Esther 02/02/09
      11.   Wouln`t it be a lot simpler and cheaper to 18:51  |  curious&curiouser 02/02/09
      12.   To #2, Nechama 18:54  |  Ali 02/02/09
      13.   Better a tunnel all the way to Sudan 18:54  |  Ronnbo 02/02/09
      14.   hey barak. maybe hamas is already digging a tunnel under Israel 18:55  |  who knows 02/02/09
      15.   Barak, now u want to let them flood the West Bank with weapons? 18:56  |  D 02/02/09
      16.   Barak calls 18:59  |  jn 02/02/09
      17.   It`s to placate Obama only 19:00  |  non-contiguous lands 02/02/09
      18.   I thought Israel was against tunnels 19:02  |  Maria 02/02/09
      19.   A gross underestimate of the costs 19:02  |  Mike B 02/02/09
      20.   I abandon the Israeli Left. Let Israel crush Hamas without mercy! 19:06  |  Yoel 02/02/09
      21.   TERROR TUNNEL FROM IRAN TO SINAI TO GAZA TO RAMALLAH 19:08  |  dp 02/02/09
      22.   Barak is too late with his idea. Palestinians are already digging 19:10  |  leo 02/02/09
      23.   #13, D, how about letting them live for a change? 19:11  |  Silvienne 02/02/09
      24.   great idea! 19:12  |  Akiva P 02/02/09
      25.   After Pals (incl. Hamas) agree to completely demilitarized state 19:12  |  An Israeli 02/02/09
      26.   Barak is an idiot - they need tunnel to Iran ... 19:34  |  17 02/02/09
      27.   They Named A Movie After Barak 19:45  |  Mordechai 02/02/09
      28.   sleeping with the enemy is probably unwise 19:48  |  avi 02/02/09
      29.   GREAT WAY TO IMPORT KASSAMS! 20:22  |  B. Roffman 02/02/09
      30.   Barak`s reasoning 20:23  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 02/02/09
      31.   If It`s So Cheap To Construct A 48-Km-Long Tunnel, 20:24  |  Jeff Northridge 02/02/09
      32.   to John Merrit 20:24  |  citizen zero 02/02/09
      33.   bridge is cheaper 20:34  |  davo 02/02/09
      34.   #30, 17 20:35  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 02/02/09
      35.   Pointless chatter 20:52  |  Amateur historian 02/02/09
      36.   Tunnel linking 21:17  |  A.Abrahams 02/02/09
      37.   THAT`S NOT A GOOD IDEA! 21:22  |  Maria 02/02/09
      38.   Arabs Like Tunnels 21:24  |  Baruch Gold 02/02/09
      39.   between $2-3 billion, "a reasonable sum. ??? 22:05  |  Ines 02/02/09
      40.   Tunnel 4 Palestinians 2 return home 2 Egypt(Genesis10-13&14) 22:06  |  sam 02/02/09
      41.   Baruch Gold, Arabs Like Tunnels 22:09  |  alan 02/02/09
      42.   To Jeff Northridge, don`t worry, Israel will not pay for this... 22:13  |  JustMe 02/02/09
      43.   Re#1 Finish the job ??? How ??? 22:15  |  Ines 02/02/09
      44.   #11 Esther. One would have to be a lunatic to vote for Labour. 22:16  |  Chaim 02/02/09
      45.   Palestinians are adept at building tunnels -- good idea! 22:19  |  Mahmoud 02/02/09
      46.   Cipora Julianna Kohn - delighted to hear from you 22:19  |  17 02/02/09
      47.   Well the palestinians seem to be experts 22:19  |  Ines 02/02/09
      48.   If 2-3 billions is a reasonable sum .... 22:31  |  Ines 02/02/09
      49.   Well someone will certainly make a good... 22:34  |  Ines 02/02/09
      50.   This must be a miss understanding 22:38  |  Ines 02/02/09
      51.   The last thing Israel wants is to link the WB and Gaza! 22:38  |  martin knopfman 02/02/09
      52.   elections 22:41  |  Peter 02/02/09
      53.   I`m here for the ride 22:42  |  Mr. D 02/02/09
      54.   great idea! Pt. 2 22:44  |  Akiva P 02/02/09
      55.   The digging started long time ago. 23:04  |  Victor 02/02/09
      56.   S #6... on second thoughts... 23:05  |  Esther 02/02/09
      57.   Davo, you said it 23:05  |  Osamah 02/02/09
      58.   psychiactric assessment please 23:07  |  AA 02/02/09
      59.   Good Bye Labor - You are HISTORY 23:12  |  Nephtaly 02/02/09
      60.   How about a tunnel to the moon? 23:12  |  Mike1 02/02/09
      61.   Is this what they call "Tunnel Vision?".. 23:13  |  H 02/02/09
      62.   Tunnel? 23:19  |  Bigfacedog 02/02/09
      63.   #43, Ines.....that`s what counts, after all... 23:37  |  Silvienne 02/02/09
      64.   #50, martin knopfman, are you interested in security? 23:41  |  Silvienne 02/02/09
      65.   How about dozens of tunnels? 23:48  |  Brian 02/02/09
      66.   Esther - Think Chunnel 23:49  |  Mark of Lewiston 02/02/09
      67.   GAZA DIGGERS WILL DO IT FOR FREE!!! 23:55  |  Ehud HaTzhok 02/02/09
      68.   Barak the joker! 23:57  |  a wandering Jew 02/02/09
      69.   Oops - Labor just lost more seats! 00:04  |  redbourn 03/02/09
      70.   Not sure whether this will bring Ehud Barak many votes...... 00:08  |  Swiss (Dino) 03/02/09
      71.   Build the tunnel with US aid to Israel 00:11  |  Karla 03/02/09
      72.   Two billion...a reasonable sum.!! 00:28  |  Stephen. 03/02/09
      73.   Another tunnel? 00:37  |  Maureen Ann 03/02/09
      74.   Why not just deliver the rockets to Ramallah yourself Barak? 00:41  |  Jeffrey 03/02/09
      75.   leering over the Ghetto wall 00:46  |  flingo 03/02/09
      76.   Why not check with Hmas? 00:47  |  Sama 03/02/09
      77.   Make it higher and deeper 01:31  |  Jim 03/02/09
      78.   Security Risk maybe???????????? 03:13  |  Adam P. 03/02/09
      79.   Put focus on removing the illegal settlements. 03:23  |  Jens 03/02/09
      80.   A better option: 3 state solution 04:45  |  Nechama 03/02/09
      81.   a new arms smuggling tunnel? 06:47  |  smuggle 03/02/09
      82.   John Merritt of the EU 08:05  |  Reid 03/02/09
      83.   Smuggling Tunnels 08:12  |  Reid 03/02/09
      84.   Mark of Lewiston - why would Pal state lead to peace? 08:29  |  Reid 03/02/09
      85.   To those who are no longer voting Labor 10:32  |  CDG 03/02/09
      86.   Reid - Counterinsurgency Sorely Needed 08:47  |  Mark of Lewiston 04/02/09
      87.   Reid - Counterinsurgency Sorely Needed 2 09:00  |  Mark of Lewiston 04/02/09
      88.   Reid - Counterinsurgency Sorely Needed 3 09:07  |  Mark of Lewiston 04/02/09
      89.   Esther #56 - (3rd try!! in 3 days) 09:35  |  S 04/02/09
      90.   Reid - about Gaza withdrawal 09:55  |  alberto 04/02/09
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